Jealous Much?
by natashasurgirl
Summary: "Listen, it will be great! I'll just show up and act like your girlfriend, and you can pretend to be my boyfriend too! Guys always want girls who are taken, right?"
1. Chapter 1

**Jealous Much?**

**By Natasha Conley**

**Chapter One**

It was just another typical boring day at the arcade for me. I started my morning by buffering tables, filling salt and pepper shakers, folding fifty or so cloth napkins, and making fresh coffee for any early risers that may show up that day. That's not to say that I wouldn't be serving coffee all day, but as someone who hated to walk into a restaurant at opening time and then be told that I would have to wait twenty minutes for a steaming hot cup of caffeine, I knew how important this was.

After I finished my small tasks around the dining area, I cleaned the game machine handles and buttons, making sure that the sweat that perspired from the nerdy kids' hands the day before were wiped away. I stepped back, admiring my handiwork as all the surfaces in the arcade reflected the summer light from outside. If there was one thing I could be proud of, it was the way that I ran my family's business in my father's place.

When the bells rang at the entrance, I was astonished at the sight of a younger friend of mine walking through the doors. She looked nervous to say the least. She bit her fingernails, letting the chewed off pieces of thin bone land on my once clean floors. She looked up at me and her eyes immediately let me know that the blonde had come to speak to me.

"Hey, Serena!" I welcome her in, waving her over to the booth I was standing next to. "You're sure here early, what's going on?"

And she was early, for her, that is. Serena was the kind of girl who was late for everything. I had become accustomed to her running past my arcade like she was a tornado, nearly knocking over everything in her wake as she raced to beat the school bell. She also never seemed to wake up past twelve o'clock during the summer. So, for her to be here at opening hours was extremely bizarre.

Serena sighed, dragging her feet as she made her way towards me. We sat across from one another in the plush seats of the booth. "Hi, Andrew."

I felt concerned, and looked at her, searching for any clues to hint towards her behavior. She looked downcast, playing with a silver spoon so that it spinned from it's handle. Her eyes wandered around looking at the new pictures of the latest Sailor V video game release. There were no physical clues, so obviously this problem was emotional.

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to imagine what could have put her in this mood before her day even began. I place my hand over hers in an attempt to reassure her.

"Andrew, I'm in love with someone that I shouldn't be." Her voice is sad, sounding remorseful about the predicament she was in.

I sat, mouth gaping, unsure of what to say. For one, it was completely unlike Serena to not use the word crush when she liked a guy. So, I knew that there was a chance that this was real and not her imagining she felt a certain way. The more shocking part was that it was someone she shouldn't be in love with, and that seemed unlikely.

Serena looks at me expectantly, her lips curved, and her eyes wide as she waited for my response. I force my mouth closed, and after a moment I ask, "The guy isn't your gynecologist, is he?"

Serena snorts, busting up with laughter. She smacks the table with her free hand, giggling so hard that I thought she would lose oxygen from a lack of breathing. "That old fart? He's my mom's doctor, and no way!"

I crack up as well, chuckling right alongside her.

Only after new customers enter the building and look at us as if we were mad scientists trying to raise Frankenstein in front of them, did we calm down. "So, who is it?"

Her cheeks turn pink when she thinks about whoever it was she has feelings for. I began to wonder who it was that had her so embarrassed. Melvin maybe? He was always flirting with her.

"If I tell you, you've got to promise you won't tell him!" She exclaims, looking around to make sure no one was listening before she whispers, "Do you promise?"

"Yeah, I promise, Serena." I answer, feeling the anticipation build up in my head.

She squeezed her eyes so they were tightly closed together. She held up her fists into little balls on each side of her face, and then squeaks out, "It's Darien!"

"What?!"

Darien is my best friend. We met at the beginning of high school, and he was always kind of off. I later learned that the reason for his cold demeanor and his rejection of nearly every girl to come across him was because of the loss of his parents. He wasn't sure how to love or to be loved for that matter after spending nearly his entire childhood in an orphanage. Regardless of that, we became friends over our desire to become doctors and save people from death. Our dream was to save lives, and because of that, he began coming to the arcade everyday to visit and drink coffee.

So, how does Serena know him then?

It all started the day my dark haired friend walked into the arcade with a goofy grin on his face. Darien sat down for his first cup of coffee for the day and told me all about how he made this beautiful girl extremely angry. I remember rolling my eyes at him as he went on and on about this girl who stuck up to him after he made fun of her. He talked about her blue eyes that looked like they had silver wisps in them, and then about how she had golden meatballs on the top of her head. How she stood out from any girl he had ever met, and Darien wanted nothing more than to see her again.

And they did meet again. Serena had been my friend not too long after I met Darien, and she visited everyday. At first I thought she had a crush on me, but I'm guessing that the entire reason was so then she could bump into Darien. Well, after the first fight they aired in front of me that is.

"I know that it's totally crazy... I mean, he's nearly a college student!" Serena began to explain herself, keeping an eye at the door, just in case he happened to show up while she was talking about him. "And I know that he thinks of me as a stupid girl who can't figure out the difference in spelling between there, they're, and their, but I still can't stop myself from feeling this way."

"Serena…" I start, but don't know how to continue. After all, I can't just tell her that Darien teases her because there is something there for him too. What if I was wrong? Darien always talked about her, but what if it had become that annoying big brother love? Kind of like what I had for Serena, but with teasing instead. Unsure of how to continue, I decided to remain silent.

"I know, he's nearly twenty. I shouldn't have feelings for someone so much older." Serena rolled her eyes, making talking motions with her hands. "That's what my dad would say if I actually managed to snag Darien."

"I don't know what to say." I answer honestly. I watch her face darken, like I was the test to see how Darien felt for her. That my answer would explain everything she needed to know.

Then as if a light bulb popped up above her head, she perked up before declaring, "You will help me make him see what a great girlfriend I can be!"

I stare at her blankly, occasionally blinking my eyes, just completely flabbergasted. "Wha-?"

She grinned, showing all her pearly whites. Then she jumped out of the booth and pulled me by the arm out of my seat. "Listen, it will be great! I'll just show up and act like your girlfriend, and you can pretend to be my boyfriend too! Guys always want girls who are taken, right?"

I didn't even know where she got that idea, but it was painfully obvious she had no idea what she was talking about. I went to pull her hands off my arm when a jingle from the entry doors rung from the front. Serena turned quickly, taking her hands and pulling my face down, crashing her lips into mine.

When I looked up to see who had come in, I saw Darien's face. Fire raged in his eyes as he glared at me, overwhelmed with jealousy, and looking as if he wanted to punch me in the gut.

_Please Read and Review! Many Hugs!-Natasha _


	2. Chapter 2

_Although I am focusing on finishing The Second Chance, I was so excited to continue working on this story that I decided to take a quick break and work on another chapter for this story! Thank you for inspiring me to get a head start on this project by following, and favoriting! And a special thank you to my reviewers: Crystal Saturn, MoonlightSonata87, TropicalRemix, SailorMoon489, Selena Jade, Isis2010, LoveInTheBattleField, Guest, Artemis630, Vaunam, and smfan4ever72! I appreciate all the support! Many hugs! -Natasha_

**Chapter 2**

It's difficult to explain how I felt when Serena kissed me, leaving Darien to scowl at me as if there was a target on my forehead. I suppose the best way to go about explaining this would be to bring up my little sister, Lizzie.

Lizzie is a very upbeat and hyper teenager with orange hair and the greenest of eyes. Just barely in high school, she works as a waitress in the family restaurant above the arcade, dedicated to funding her anime addiction.

There were many times over the year when I came home late from my night classes and she'd be squealing at the top of her lungs, a sound our parents have learned to sleep through. curiosity would kill me sometimes when Lizzie squealed like she did when she was two and received her first Hello Kitty doll. I just had to know what made her act that way.

I remember walking in on her snuggling with a pile of blankets and pillows on her bedroom floor. She practically worshipped the screen whenever a man with silver hair wearing a red kimono came on the screen, carrying a sword the size of his body around. I became interested, watching the cartoon character as he slashed and hacked through demons, and joined her on the floor. Eventually through the annoying and ongoing narration from a tiny child with orange hair and a poof ball for a tail, I learned the man's name was InuYasha.

Now, I don't watch very much of the show. So, I don't really understand the dynamics of the relationships, but from what I can understand... InuYasha is a two timing bastard. Whenever he cheats and gets found out, he tries to explain himself to his girlfriend. The black-haired girl wearing a green school uniform will turn, looking as though she wants to rip his head off because she is so angry. Then, to InuYasha's horror, she'll yell the word "Sit!" at the top of her lungs, and his world comes crashing down, quite literally, as his mouth eats dirt.

And I suppose that's how I felt with Serena's lips pressed against mine; Darien was going to "Sit!" me, and I would be the one meeting asphalt. I just know the ramifications of this event are going to be bad, and so, I tap on Serena's shoulder so she knows to stop the kiss.

It's amazing that a fist hasn't landed in between my eyes yet, considering how clearly Darien wanted to break and bloody my nose. I can see the rage in his eyes until suddenly, betrayal washes over the anger and his eyes soften on the blonde in my arms. He turns away for a brief moment, scrunching his face up to fight back the watering in his eyes.

And although I want to tell him I didn't initiate the kiss, I can't. For two reasons. One, because Serena's lips were currently still on my mouth, marking the longest two minute kiss in my life, and two, because Serena asked me to do this. Even though her plan was crazy, insane, and completely confusing at best, it was obviously working. Besides, I wouldn't make her look like a fool in front of Darien because of something like this, not when he makes fun of the poor girl for everything else she does.

When Serena breaks away, Darien quickly puts on a brave face. He straightens his posture, and smirks as if he was unphased, but I know better. Then with a malicious tone he says, "Wow, looks like Meatball Head finally got a boyfriend! Isn't it too bad it won't last long?"

Serena whips her head around, glaring at him. "Oh, and why's that? Hmm, Jerkwad?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Darien places his hands in his pockets, choosing to strut triumphantly over to us, as if he'd just won a spelling bee and we were inferior idiots. "Andrew already has a girlfriend, and when I tell her about this, you two are so over."

I freeze, and literally feel the skin on my face as it pales to an ashen white. He knew that hitting me wouldn't get me where it hurts. As least, not as much as it would hurt to lose Rita, who was currently across seas for business.

"He has a girlfriend?" She sounds shocked. What? Did I seem incapable of having a girlfriend or something? Was it really so hard to believe? Before I can open my mouth to speak, Serena covers her mouth, gasping. "Oh no!"

"Oh yes! I'm surprised he would throw away his year long relationship with a beautiful woman like Rita. Especially for a stupid, ditzy, teenage girl like you!"

'Yeah, way to win her over, Dar!' My inner monologue wants to knock him up the head for being so incredibly dense. I want nothing more than to tell him he's being a jerk and not accomplishing anything with her.

After having a moment to let what Darien said sink in, I feel like a horrible person. Even though I didn't actually do it, at least, not intentionally, the idea of cheating on Rita sounds so sickening. Why would Darien ever believe that I would do that? Well...beyond walking in on Serena kissing me? Still, other than Rita, he knows me better than anybody!

I mean, I want to marry Rita someday! Everything about her makes me turn into a big pile of mush, but not in a bad way. With Rita, it's like I'm Han Solo and she's Princess Leia. Obviously, I'm that really hot and awesome guy who makes girls sigh longingly, and fall over in their seats when I give them my charming smile. (Not that I'm full of myself or think I'm God's gift to women or anything. I'm certainly not saying that!) Then, snuggling in my arms is Rita, who is smart, witty, strong, and as independent as any man, with beauty on top of it all. She makes me happy. She makes me want to become the best man I can be. I never want to fall behind her in growing as a person. She makes makes me want to be better for her.

Serena doesn't have all the qualities that Rita has. True, she's tardy most days, refuses to study, and is also the reason why we pulled up the carpet in the arcade due to so many milkshakes dropped, but she isn't stupid. Serena's personality is so pure, loving, and forgiving. All her faults are made up for when she enters the room and knows how to brighten your day when your world is falling apart.

And I know Darien thinks the same of her. After all, why else would he single her out each day, just to see her face? To just debate and argue over the little things in life each and every day? When you have so many big problems to get past, the distraction helps to ease the pain. I'm not foolish enough to believe that Darien means what he is saying about her. When you're in pain, you lash out, and say things you don't mean.

"She's in Africa studying bugs, Serena." I try to reassure the foolish girl, knowing how guilty she must be feeling having kissed another girl's guy. It was written all over her face as she sat at the table in the booth, her cheeks red with embarrassment. She honestly didn't know, and how could she? After all, teen girls crushing on me is my number one ticket to getting big tips! Gotta pay for the extremely expensive medical textbooks in the fall somehow, and if that means my personal life remains private, then so be it.

"What, so, that makes it okay that you lead on a fourteen year old girl?" Darien asks infuriatingly, his nostrils flaring. He casts a protective gaze over Serena, and pushes me away from the clearly upset girl. With me out of the way, and the twelve and thirteen year old boys now staring at me as they wait for me to take their orders, Darien reaches for Serena's hand. "You're coming with me, Meatball Head. I'll take you home, away from this creep!"

If looks could kill…

And even though she managed to make me look like the biggest asshole on the planet, I can't help but smile as he leads her out the door.

Serena mouths at me as they leave the arcade, 'I'm so sorry!'

I wave her off, trying to sign not to worry about it.

Seeing I'm not upset, she bursts into a giddy smile, throwing a thumbs up my way as Darien focuses on the path ahead, escorting her down the sidewalk, and towards her home.

When I see his lips form my name, she pretends to be sad and hurt due to my fake, yet very horrible actions. In reality, I can tell she is bursting at the seams with joy at the idea that maybe, just maybe, her plan could be working.

But she left me with the hard part, explaining to Rita what happened before Darien gets a hold of her first. Let's just say I was not looking forward to her phone call at lunch.

_Thank you for reading! Please review and tell me what you think of the story. How do you think Rita will respond? -Natasha_


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you mryann, Callista Wolfwood, IanBuddy, Nich31, Artemis630, wookie9001, SailorMoon489, SaphireShimmer, and Princess Selina for reviewing Chapter 2! Thank you for your support! I love hearing your feedback and appreciate all of it! -Natasha_

**Chapter 3**

I'm the guy that always tries to show how happy and carefree he can be, but as I walked around taking repetitive orders of burgers, milkshakes, and pizza, I felt dead inside. Maybe it was clear to the dorky kids with pimples on their face as I gave them my bored face. It seemed as though I was a zombie slowly trudging through the day, scared and nervous about the results of Serena's actions.

Would I get the chance to explain? Would Rita just dump me on the spot? My skin prickled little hairs at the thought. No. She'd let me explain...right?

Dread filled my insides as I imagined what life would be like without Rita, even over the phone. My whole world would just end. Life would be meaningless without the woman who filled my heart with love and joy. I needed her. To be without her, it would be like living without cookies, and I just can't live that way.

The bell from the kitchen counter rings, letting me know that another order for lunch was up. I speed my way towards the counter, reading the table number on the paper stuck through a metal stick piled high with filled orders. Table 8. Two cheeseburgers and one chocolate malt.

I grab the plates and shake, carefully balancing them on a heavy duty plastic tray. I drop off the food to a young couple who were looking at each other with gooey eyes, as if they were on their first date or something of that nature.

I don't know what they did exactly, but somehow while watching them eat I realized in that moment that I should just call Rita during work hours. In all honesty, what would anyone say? Technically I own this place right? Or, well, my dad does, but still! If I just hid away in the supply room to tell Rita what had happened no one was going to stop me, I manage the place! Who would risk their job to try and tell me what to do? No one.

And with that realization, I hid in the closet full of cleaning chemicals, feeling claustrophobic as the smell of bleach surrounded me. Regardless, I dialed her number, just hoping that somehow Serena had kept Darien busy the last two hours. If I told her first then maybe her reaction wouldn't be full of too much anger.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded like an angel through the speaker of my cell. "Andrew?"

"Rita, I have to tell you something." I tapped my fingers on my leg, anxious to get this over with. Whatever happens happens, I just had to be honest with Rita. She deserved that. "And it might make you mad, but I want you to hear it from me first."

"Oh god. Andrew, please don't tell me you cheated on me!" Her voice shook on the other line, clearly she wasn't taking this well, and I hadn't even told her yet. "My mom told me if I went to Africa this would happen. Andrew how could you? I trusted you! What did I do-"

"Rita, that's not exactly what happened…" I interrupted her, unwilling to let her go further about how apparently in her mom's opinion I would totally suck in the being faithful department. I told her about everything that happened earlier that morning. How Serena had kissed me without even making sure it was alright the second Darien walked in, not knowing that I was in a relationship. I told her about Darien's reaction, and how my best friend had taken his damsel in distress home after threatening to break us up. She knew everything.

"He loves her." Rita sighed happily, seemingly ignoring the whole kiss ordeal. "And she's in love with him! Andrew, Darien's been lonely for so long..."

"I know." I agreed, trying to keep steady, feeling as though I would faint if I stayed in the toxic closet of doom. "Rita, he deserves a relationship with a girl like Serena. She's fun and happy. She brings out this side in him that you would have to see to believe. It's like he acts like a kid on the playground when she's around. Darien acts like that boy who pulls on his crush's hair and calls her names just to get her attention."

"But that's so cute!"

I keep my hand on the door handle. "The problem is he's stubborn."

"He's the type of guy who'll never admit he needs anyone, not even you sometimes."

"That's why he might need an intervention." I ask, "Do you think I should try to give him advice, maybe explain everything the best I can without giving away what Serena did?"

"No, he'll never go for it." Rita chuckled, an almost sadistic tone in her voice as she offered her opinion. "However, if you keep up the charade, maybe that would get Darien to express how he feels for her."

"I don't know…" I pause momentarily before continuing, "Do you think that would work?"

"As long as there is no kissing involved and no more than hand holding I can't think of a reason not to try." She emphasized the no kissing part to make herself extremely clear. "As his friends, we owe it to Darien to at least try."

"Well, I guess…" The bell from the counter rings. More food was ready. "I mean, if Serena tells me they're not together, I could offer to go through with her plan."

"Just keep me up to date, and to make it real, when Darien calls I'll say that we broke up because of your 'feelings' for Serena."

Another ring.

"Sounds crazy." I say, smiling. "You're so strange sometimes."

Another. My god man, I'll come to the counter when I get to it!

"You know you love it!" Rita laughs on the other line.

"Of course I do. Rita, I love you more than anything else in this world."

A fourth ring. I open the door of the poison chamber, taking a deep breath in. The intoxicating smell of grease and oil fills my nostrils. The air smelled like junk food, but that would always be a better scent than sodium hypochlorite.

"Andrew, I love you too. Make sure everything works out for Serena and Darien."

And she hung up just in time for the fifth ring. I growl in annoyance, literally running to the counter to pick up the next meal. When I get to the kitchen window the chef asked, "Runs?"

I rolled my eyes. "Like I would actually answer that."

He laughed, flattening a ball of dough on the table in front of him. "Don't worry, we all get them from time to time."

I literally felt my face turn green at his words. I take a tray, quickly putting table 15's food on the surface. "Well, now with that lovely image of you sitting on the toilet for a good half an hour, I think I'll get back to work."

"Good idea. Don't want the customers to get anxious." He spun the dough in the air, using gravity to help form it into a pizza pie. I waved to him, quickly retreating away from his domain so then I can begin to get the picture of Daryl spraying chocolate all over our toilet seats out of my head.

Probably only one thing would help with that. I needed to hear what happened from Serena soon.

_I'm sure we all know that one guy who just doesn't know how to keep things appropriate. Just thought it would be funny to add in there. Please let me know what you think! -Natasha_


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you, RoryRose, Nich31, Artemis630, wookie9001, Princess Selina, Callista Wolfwood, midnightblue08, SailorMoon489, and guest for your reviews! The feedback for this story is amazing! I didn't expect so much feedback from you all, but you've pleasantly surprised me! Please enjoy chapter 4! -Natasha_

**Chapter 4**

The summer heat blinded my eyes as I walked up to Serena's doorstep, hand up ready to knock. I could smell the flowers growing next to the path burning under the sun's harsh rays. By the time I hit the door, singeing my knuckles against the hard surface, Serena had opened it. She grabbed my arm, pulling me through the door quicker than I had seen her fall asleep while trying to read a lesson on history.

"Get in here, Andrew!" She squawked, shutting the door behind me as I nearly tripped over my own feet.

"What's the hurry, Serena?" I asked, catching myself on the closest wall. When I turned to face the jumpy girl, she gave me a hug.

"I'm so sorry about what happened at the arcade the other day." She pulled away, looking up at me with apologetic sincerity. "If I had had any idea that you had a girlfriend I would have never-"

"Don't," I interrupt Serena, hushing her. "I told Rita what happened."

"Was she mad?"

"No. Rita's too cool to get mad over something like that." I spaced off for a moment, thinking of how wonderful Rita really was. Of course she didn't get jealous over a fourteen year old girl. We were both in college, what would I have to gain from dating a young girl? I shook my head, returning my focus to Serena. "She said that I can help you."

"Really?" Serena squealed, clasping her hands together, and jumping up and down.

"But no more kissing, okay? Only hand holding, got it?"

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Her arms were around my neck, and she continued to hop up and down like a deranged bunny. Her voice echoed through my ears as she squeaked and screeched the words as if she were a parrot who had learned a new sentence.

At first I wanted to peel her hands off of me, but then I thought, 'Why not enjoy this? Why not be crazy for once?' So I began jumping up and down with her just like a school girl.

And you know what?

It was fun.

…

"Operation: Make Darien Jealous in motion!" Serena whispered excitedly under her breath. She squeezed my hand with her free hand, carrying a picnic basket with the other. "Or, for short, Operation: MDJ."

"Or, we could, I don't know…not mention it when he's around." I interjected, squeezing her hand when I see Darien's study spot in the park. I hushed her, pointing at Darien. Her eyes widened, and she curved her lips in excitement. I never realized how hyper she was until I agreed to do her plan.

Darien sat under a large tree surrounded by bushels of flowers. With a biology book in hand, he jotted notes down on a wordpad. With music traveling from his ear buds towards us about a yard away, I knew he wouldn't hear us if we positioned ourselves near him.

"Okay," I whispered. "Here's the plan. We're going to sit on the other side of that tree _quietly_ so he doesn't hear us."

"And then I'm going to tell you how wonderful you are, and how I'm so happy we're together!"

She was still loud. I paused, stopping her in her tracks. "In order for this to work, you have to make sure it's not obvious we're trying to make him jealous. Otherwise, he'll just get mad."

Serena frowned. She swung the wicker basket full of cheeses and fruits back and forth, looking down at the ground like a child being scolded. "Do you think I can do this?"

I chuckled, pulling her into a short hug. "Of course I do. You're like a little sister to me, and I'll help you do this."

"Thanks, Andrew." She sighed in relief, pulling herself together for the task at hand.

Together, we placed a blanket down on the opposite side of the tree from Darien. I flattened the pink blanket out, and wondered to myself how Serena could still be such a girly girl. From her basket, I also pulled out pink and white polka-dotted napkins, paper plates, and cups. regular white plastic forks, thank goodness, and two large mason jars of pink lemonade.

"What's with all the pink?" I asked as Serena laid out the containers of grapes, blueberries, cherries, and pineapple. "Do you have a little sister I don't know about or something?"

Serena's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "No...it's just...okay?"

"Just what?" I whispered, watching as she sliced a loaf of bread with a knife. I reached into the basket and pulled out the cheese and olives.

"It's my favorite color."

I smiled sheepishly at her. She could be silly sometimes. How were we supposed to get Darien all jealous if it looked like we were have a tea party in the middle of park where Hello Kitty must have been the host? I rubbed my head in astonishment, shaking my head back and forth at the irony of it all.

"Anyways…" Serena trailed off, and then in a loud voice she exclaimed, "Oh, Andrew! You're so wonderful! It's just so wonderful you invited me on a picnic! Your face is so wonderful, and your eyes are so...Wonderful?"

I held back laughter. "I know you failed English," I whispered to her, ignoring her scowl at the reminder. "But don't you know any other adjectives?"

"And you are so...condescending!" She remarked under her breath. She plopped a couple of grapes in her mouth, fuming at my comment. It was my turn now.

"Serena, I'm so happy that we can be out on a date for the first time in public without worrying about Rita. I've always wanted to do this with you!" I projected my voice so loud that you had to be deaf not to hear me. I heard a rustling of the bushes behind me, the flowers had clearly shifted for a moment. If Darien heard though, he had not taken the bait.

Serena picked up a jar full of pink liquid, sloshing it around so the sliced lemons swam all over the jar. "Would you like some lemonade, my handsome studmeister?"

Studmeister? Really? Eh, I'll just go with it. "Of course my beautiful...bunnykins?"

This was getting awkward really fast I realized. She handed me the cup of juice, and I sipped away, trying to swallow all my pride along with it. Hopefully this would work so I wouldn't have to say or hear these nicknames again!

Instead, as Serena force fed me two pitted cherries, Darien collected his things. I heard the scratch of the bark against his backpack, and up he went. Darien passed us by, rolling his eyes as he walked off.

"I'll do my homework somewhere else, thanks." He said from a couple of feet away. Darien turned, a smirk on his lips as he added, "Maybe you two girls should find a dollhouse to eat lunch in."

And then he left.

"It didn't work!" Serena wailed when her crush was out of earshot. "You said I could do this!"

I shoved a piece of bread in her mouth to shut her up. "Of course you can do this. It'll just take more than one try…" I trailed off. "And maybe a little less pink."

She chewed, and with her mouth full she asked, "Shwhat's phnext?"

"Well, my college is holding a barbecue, and I know Darien's attending."

She swallowed the bread all at once, making a huge gulping sound. She reached for one of her mason jars, and downed the entire thirty two ounces of lemonade. After breathing deeply and punching her chest lightly where her airways hid underneath, she cheered, "I love barbecues!"

She stood up, showing a thumbs up to the tree behind me, and I looked at her incredulously. Serena winked, and yelled, "Operation: Make Darien Jealous phase b, now in session!"

_This is so fun to write. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, as much as I loved writing it. Let me know what you thought! -Natasha_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey all! First I want to say thank you to all my readers and reviewers! Secondly, I want to say I am so sorry for taking so long to update. My notebooks got lost in storage during the move, and my husband finally dug them all out for me today. I will be writing more now that I finally have them back. Lots of hugs- Natasha_

**Chapter 5**

"There's no popcorn in this apartment!"

I aired out my frustration at my kitchen pantry after having ran my hands through everything for what seemed like the fifth or maybe the sixth time. I suppose I was never the best at math, which was unfortunate considering what I was going to school for. What kind of doctor wasn't good at that?

From the living room I hear a "bleep de bloop bladunk beep bloop". I slam the pantry door shut, and dash to my computer chair, quickly clicking the mouse fiercely on Skype. It takes seconds for Rita's lovely oval face to show up on the screen. When she smiles back at me, my heart flutters.

"Rita!" I say joyfully, letting every muscle in my body relax as I sink back into my chair. "How is the most wonderful woman in the world?"

Cheesy, I know. But c'mon, she's the love of my life!

"Everything is going wonderfully. You'll never believe what I found today!" Rita's eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger and dilated. She picked up a large mason jar with air holes poked out on top and said, "I found a green hairstreak!"

I lift an eyebrow at the jar, and squint at it to get a closer look. I see a little green blob in the jar, but it's not very clear on the screen. "What is it?"

Rita laughs and brings the jar closer to the screen. "It's a green butterfly, silly!"

Up close, I see bright green wings, with extremely tiny dots of yellow around the outer wing. "Rita, it looks like a leaf."

"Well, that's why we call it the green hairstreak. Kind of." Rita pauses before putting the jar back down on the desk. "It's real name is the Callophrys rubi though. I'm putting it in an artificial habitat later today with Dr. Bennett. We might learn something we didn't know before."

"I sure am glad we don't have them here, I'd hate to accidentally rake one up or something."

I won't lie. It's hard to stay interested talking about a darned butterfly, especially when I really didn't care about that stuff. Rita does though, so I try for her. I listen to her talk about the other bugs she has seen, and how she wasn't able to catch them all.

When my eyes start to glaze over as I think about how my Metapod in Pokemon Red will probably transform into a Butterfree soon, Rita says my name.

I look up and see her waving her hands at me to get my attention. "Wha?"

She glares at me and repeats, "I asked how everything was going with Operation MDJ?"

I groan. "Oh god, not you too!"

Rita smirks, and pulls her hair back into a ponytail. "Yes me too! I think it's cute. Plus you can change the words for fun: Operation: Make Dad Jam. Or maybe: Operation: Make Durian Juice."

I make a face of disgust at the last one. Rita laughs. "Yeah that's probably not the best example, but Durian is still good."

"Rita, I'm telling you, Operation: MDJ is just plain old strange. Serena called me a studmiester!" I exaggerate my voice maybe just a little bit, but considering the fact that it was just yesterday, I'm still shaken up.

Rita snorts, and soda comes out through her nose, spraying on the web cam.

"Cola?"

"I'm sorry! Oh, my nose is all bubbly right now!" Rita picks up tissues from the pink box on her desk, using them to clean herself and the screen up all while choking on laughter. "My boyfriend is a studmiester, huh?"

I roll my eyes and smile. "Apparently. Well that's not even the worst of it. She made me look like a total idiot. I felt like I was having a picnic with a four year old."

"I'm so sorry Operation: Make Darien Jealous isn't going as planned." Rita sympathises. "What do you have planned next? Maybe you can turn things around."

"Our college is hosting a barbecue, and I'm gonna take her there."

"Have you thought about confronting Darien and maybe asking why he isn't being supportive?" Rita adds thoughtfully, "Maybe if you can get the gears in his brain moving, he might be able to realize he wants to be with her, and he's just jealous."

"Or, maybe he'll just shove a plastic fork in my eye and tell me to soak in my misery!" I grumble to myself, just loudly enough so she can hear my whine.

"Andrew…" Rita looks at me sternly, giving me the stink eye in the process. With every feature in her cheeks showing me that I'll get a long lecture if I don't listen, I nod my head in exasperation.

"Fine."

…

Self preservation was now out the door. Or at least, that's how I felt, knowing that Rita expected me to go into the battlefield with a sword while my opponent held a grenade launcher. Darien doesn't even visit me at the arcade anymore, and has dodged me at school at every turn. Now she wants me to walk right up to him and basically say, "Hey, I know you know that I know that you like the girl that I'm pretending to date to make you jealous and upset. But, why you mad, Bro?"

Like that's gonna go over well. I'd kill me too.

I stood in the parking lot of my school where I waited for Serena to meet me. Hundreds of my peers and their families blended together into a mush of school uniforms and white paper plates covered with burgers and egg salad. Finally, after being twenty minutes late, I see a glimmer of golden meatballs in the crowd.

Serena ran through the crowd, pushing and shoving people of her way. I heard her as she'd say apologetically, "I'm sorry." "Excuse me!" or "I'm so late, my friend is gonna kill me!"

I shake my head, and can hardly hold back a chuckle in amusement of her typical hurricane Serena behavior.

When she gets close, she squeezes herself between two large guys who I've seen occasionally playing Magic in the cafeteria. "Ex-" She chokes for breath between their abnormally huge stomachs. They just ignore her, talking about an Angel deck or whatever that is. "-cuse me!"

Serena bursts free, and falls to the ground, succeeding in cutting her knee. She begins to wail, and I wince, forcefully keeping myself from covering my ears. The two nerdy guys roll their eyes and keep talking over her, now moving their conversation on to to the pros and cons of a card called, "Armageddon."

I go to the crying girl, offering her a hand with a concerned look on my face. "You okay, Sere?"

She grabs my hand, and sniffles, wiping her face of tears and snot with the other. "People are so mean here! I kept saying excuse me, but everybody just wants to ignore people trying to get through!"

"It couldn't be that you didn't wait for them to move or anything, right?"

"Right!" She agrees, clearly not hearing the underlying sarcasm. "I'm just glad I'm not bleeding or anything. It was just a scrape!"

I take a minute to look at her knee, and just so happen to scan the rest of her attire. She was wearing a white maxi dress that went down to her knees, with white strappy sandles, and a blue denim jacket that stopped at her waist. She'd look stunning, if it wasn't for the fact that it was like looking at my little sister, Lizzie.

"Soooo, do you know where Darien is?" Serena asks, her entire body radiating with excitement. "I was thinking that I could flirt with you in front of him, and we could pretend to go for a kiss, and then he'd stop us and then we cou-"

I cut her off.

"Rita suggested that I just ask him to be supportive of our 'relationship'."

Serena pauses, biting her lip, and thinking about what I said. After a minute she says, "I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

Serena taps her sandals up and down. "How will that make him jealous, I mean, we're not doing anything to actively make him feel anything."

I smile weakly. She had no idea how wrong she was.

"Trust me. This will work."

That's all I could say. I didn't want her to realize that we are passive aggressively giving Darien a huge slap in the face. That we are asking him to be the bigger, but extremely hurt person in the situation. It was hard for even me to swallow. Even though this is all pretend, I can't stop myself from feeling guilty. I felt like a cheating, and sleezy ex bestfriend.

'It's not real.' I remind myself, consoling myself.

"Well, if you say so. I still don't see it though." Serena mumbled, reaching for her wallet to pay for the food fee.

I stop her. "I've got this. Save your allowance for the double chocolate malts at the arcade."

"No problem!" Serena exclaims, following behind me as I lead us through the school grounds.

Now to pay and find Darien. This was _not _going to be fun.

…

Finding Darien was like trying to find the real Waldo in the picture where there was nothing but wannabe Waldos everywhere. We searched what seemed like the entire grounds from top to bottom. For a while I thought that he had decided not to come at all. Not that I would blame him. I mean, if my best friend was dating the girl I was secretly harbouring feelings for, I don't think I'd be all for school spirit either. I wouldn't care about the funds for the sports teams, because what'd be the point? (Well, maybe dance and cheerleading, I'd totally support that with my money anyways.)

Eventually though, Serena spotted him by the grills, flipping burgers and hot dogs. He must have been in the kitchens when we had been hunting for him by the grills before. Serena reached for my hand, and literally ran to his nearby vicinity, nearly dragging me forward the whole way.

She took two paper plates from a black plastic fold up table, and loaded them up with hotdog buns and hamburger buns.

"Are you grabbing enough for both of us?" I ask, wide-eyed as her plates became completely covered with bread.

"No way! This is all totally for me! Get your own plate, Studmiester!" She winked at me before turning to get in line for Darien's grill.

I felt my stomach curl at her joke, and hesitantly picked up a paper plate for myself. After putting one of each kind of meat holder on my plate, I stood right behind her.

The line moved slowly, and I was thankful for that. I kept going over what I was going to say in my mind again and again. Technically, he never told me he has feelings for Serena. I could just pretend I didn't know. Feigning innocence, and acting like he was the crazy one could work, right?

Yeah. No.

"Hiiiiiii Darien!" Serena drawled out when it was her turn to get food. She lifted her plate up, and with a big grin she said, "Hook me up!"

I watched Darien roll his eyes when he saw her, but there a little sparkle in them. He looked like he was going to say hi or something, but instead his emotions became sprinkled with disappointment when I walked up next to her. He frowned when I showed up, and he turned to the other person grilling, and said, "Tommy, I've gotta go. I'm sorry."

And then he just walked away.

_Please review and tell me what you thought! - Natasha_


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you Princess Selina, SailorMoon489, Pretzel Poptarts, Solci, CHICKADEE, LoveInTheBattleField, AlianaKensington, and Loca8892 for reviewing the last chapter! I am having a lot of fun writing this story,a dn I am glad everyone is enjoying it! -Natasha_

**Chapter Six**

"Darien, wait!"

I chase after the ebony haired man, weaving through the crowd like Serena had done not too long ago. I excused myself for the fourth time, noting how not one person moved. Instead they would continue eating their burger and project their voice louder than the volume of a movie at a theatre. No wonder Serena didn't have patience! People really won't move!

Finally, I decided to just shove people out of my way to get through. When I catch up to Darien, I grab his shoulder, forcing him to turn around.

"Andrew, what do you want?" Darien asks, his shoulders rising in a threatening manner. He steps forward, and I realize he was trying to intimidate me. He was trying to tower over me to make me feel like the weaker man. It was like Darien was trying to prove he was the alpha male in the lion pack and was looking for any reason to assert his dominance.

I hold back a gulp. I remind myself that he won't hit me. At least, not with all these witnesses around. "Darien, I know you're not happy that Rita and I broke up…"

Darien groans with exasperation. I put my hands on his shoulders and squeeze so he can't walk away. I give him a meaningful look.

"But why can't you be supportive of Serena and I? She's such a great girl, and we are still best friends, aren't we?"

Darien steps back, his shoulders lowering considerably to my relief. He fakes a laugh and says, "Dude, why are you being so melodramatic? I left the grill to go to the bathroom!"

I raise a brow, and look at all the parked cars. "In the parking lot?"

"I was just going to my car to get hand sanitizer."

"You don't own hand sanitizer."

Darien nods his head insistently. "I was going to buy some hand sanitizer at the local gas station."

"Right…" I remark sarcastically. "And you weren't just running away from me when I walked up next to Serena?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Andrew." Darien reiterated. He motioned to Serena, who was looking for us from the outdoor cafeteria tables. I couldn't help but notice the way he stared at her, looking from her strappy sandals, up to her dress, until his eyes finally landed on her face. His features softened, gazing at her with longing.

With a hint of bitterness, Darien said, "Your girlfriend is looking for you."

"Dar…"

"You should really get back to her, Drew." His voice was shaky. He curled his hands at his sides, turning his head to look at the ground before adding, "She's not Rita, but you are very lucky to have her, you know?"

"Dar, are you okay?"

Darien looks up with another pretend smile directed at me. "Of course I am. What's with you being so dramatic lately?"

I hold my tongue. I was being dramatic? Me? I wasn't the guy moping whenever I saw my friends together! He was gas lighting me, trying to make _me_ sound like the crazy one! That was the exact tactic I thought I was going to have to use on him.

Well, if he wanted to play that way, I was game. Bring it on, Darien!

I grab his wrist. "Great! Then let's all eat lunch together. You know, since everyone's happy and we're all such great friends!"

The look of horror on his face was comical as I dragged him towards the round table Serena had reserved for us. He looked like a deer in the headlights, trying to find an exit, but was clearly too stunned to actually bolt away in the nick of time.

Serena squealed when she saw us. "Darien! Andrew! Look, I got all of us food!"

There was five paper plates on the table. One with a burger and hotdog like I had wanted, and a similar plate for Darien. Three plates were in front of her. One filled with cheese burgers, another filled with hot dogs, and the last one with chips and egg salad.

"Wow, Meatball head! Did you leave any food for the hundreds of other people here or did you figure they'd just starve for your sake?" Darien asked, his eyes wide at the piles of food.

Serena rolled her eyes, dismissing his comment. "I waited all day to eat food today, and I am going to pig out regardless of your opinion, Jerk!"

"Yeah?" Darien asked, glaring at her.

"Yeah, your opinion means nothing to me." Serena drapes her arms around my neck, and places her head against my chest, squeezing me so I can feel her body warmth. She brushes her fingers against my cheek, making sure to smile sweetly at Darien. "Not when I have a handsome boyfriend like Andrew. No one else matters."

Great. She just had to put me in the middle, didn't she?

Darien looked like he wanted to take the platter of burgers Serena had prepped for herself and toss it at us both. His lips squeezed together in a tight line, and his eyes and nose fused close together in a snarl as he held back his frustration. He was infuriated.

Then he spoke, "Yeah, well I hope Andrew enjoys having a fat cow for a girlfriend. If you keep eating like you're a starving child from Africa all the time you'll end up larger than Mount Fuji!"

Serena gasped, her hands gripping my shirt. My heart was beating quickly. I couldn't help but wonder how else Darien would shove a boot up his butt during Operation: MDJ.

"But you know what? You'd probably look better as a blimp. After all, you've got nothing going for you in the looks department." His words were vindictive and cold. He was being cruel.

Tears welled up in Serena's eyes. Instead of crying though, she got mad. It took less than a minute for her to scoop up the plate of egg salad and chips, stomp towards Darien, and smear the white food all over his pea green jacket. "Go to hell, Darien!"

Darien smirked, not caring about his jacket in the slightest. He had won. Darien knew it, and he was being pretty smug about it. "I thought you didn't care what I thought of you."

"I don't, " Serena said unconvincingly, sniffling. "I'll prove it to you."

She proceeds to show us how quickly she can plow through her food. Mustard, ketchup, and even barbecue sauce squirts from between the hamburger buns all over her cheeks and down onto her chest. But Serena ignores all that, devouring her food like a cheetah ravages a gazelle carcass with blood flying everywhere.

Darien snorts at her. He turns to me, and with disgust on his face he states, "Enjoy the rest of your date, Andrew. If I wanted to watch an animal eat, I would just turn on the discovery channel."

He looks back at Serena briefly. He shakes his head at her and hightails it away from us.

I rub my face into my hands as Serena licks leftover condiments off of her fingertips.

"I think it's working!" She says in a sing-song voice, completely over the fact that Darien had been so mean to her.

She was obviously right. It was clear the plan was working since Darien showed a side of him I hadn't seen before. What would he say when he learned the truth? Would it be wise never to tell him about Serena's plan? Most importantly, what if he refused to be the best man at my and Rita's wedding when this is all over?

Oh god, what did I do getting myself into this mess?

_Thanks for reading, and please review! -Natasha_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey all! So, I've been gone for a while. I haven't had much time to write between kids and my new job, and I am so sorry that. I'm writing when I can, and I know I have two other stories to work on. I intend to finish Jealous Much first, and then sort of either focus on Fragmented or rotate between Fragmented and The Moon Princess. I'm trying my best to finish these stories. But I appreciate all of you, my readers. Thank you Princess Selina, Pretzel Poptarts, Leslie Wjack, peaches252, Aliana Lesington, Loca8892, wookie9001, LoveInTheBattleField, Trosario, Kasienda, Artemis630, xSaphirexRosesxFanx, and Amyllia for reviewing the last chapter. You wouldn't believe how your reviews keep me encouraged to write even when life gets busy. Hugs to all! -Natasha_

**Chapter 7**

"Rita, she's so impulsive and never thinks rationally whenever Darien's around! I don't know how to do this without her making us look like fools!"

It was just another morning of airing out my grievances to my girlfriend. Gosh, I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing!

Rita nods her head, covering her mouth to hide her excessively large grin. Knowing her, she was getting massive amounts of enjoyment from my misery right now. She was so lucky hiding behind that webcam, not having to deal with this crazy scenario whatsoever!

"I think it's cute," replied Rita. She trailed her fingers down from her lips to her shoulders, and to the lace at the top of her tank top. With a seductive voice she asked, "But don't you think we should talk about _other_ things?"

"She's such a child!" I exclaim in frustration. " I just don't understand why she can't act normal!"

I couldn't get Serena's behavior out of my head. I can't stand this plan anymore. I want out. I want to fully explore my relationship with Rita and not have to deal with Darien and Serena's way of getting out of telling each other how they really feel.

Rita sighs, letting her hands fall back on to the desk. "Are we still on that?"

What, was she crazy? Of course we're still on this. There was no time for sexual tension of any kind!

"Rita, I need your help! I don't know what to do!"

She blew air up at her brown bangs, making her eyes easier to see. Green like fresh basil leaves, and an air of irritation hiding in the iris'.

"Andrew, have you ever thought that maybe that's why Darien likes Serena in the first place? He's always so serious, and it sounds like she is his polar opposite…" My girlfriend trailed off, staring into space, and hopefully trying to think of a solution. Finally she says, "I'm at a loss. Did you at least get a reaction out of him yesterday?"

Did I get a reaction out of Darien yesterday? Heh. Let me think back.

"Well, he called me dramatic, and said nothing was going on when I asked him to be supportive. Then he proceeded to call Serena an ugly fat cow who eats enough to be the size of one of our more famous mountains." I still cringe thinking about his insults. How Serena blew that off I will never understand. Personally, I would've ripped the person who called me those things to shreds.

"Aww, you did get a reaction!" Rita claps her hands together. With a quirky smile she says, "Now, you just need to make it completely unbearable for Darien not to tell the truth."

"Yeah, but how?"

Seriously, what could I possibly do that would make Darien give up hiding how he feels for my 'girlfriend'? That's like trying to pry a cookie out of a three year's old hand. Difficult and infuriating because the kid won't let their grip the slightest bit loose. Then to top it off, they run off and keep it all to themselves regardless of all your efforts!

"I'm sure you'll think of something, Andrew, but I've gotta go to bed." Rita yawned, then pulled herself out of her chair. I got a nice view of her pink pajama bottoms with pictures of black tarantulas crawling all over it, giving me the heeby jeebys.

Wait a minute...did I seriously just waste my whole morning with Rita complaining about Darien and Serena? I feel stuck in place like a cube in an ice tray. The only way to move was to have someone crack and shove me out of it, but there was no one here to do that. What was I doing letting my life revolve around a teenage girl's emotional problems?

"Oh and Andrew," Rita interjected. "You're late for work."

Well, that did it. The ice was broken.

" Aw crap!"

And just like a man shopping in a store for female things his wife asked for, I did not linger. I turned off the webcam after telling Rita I loved her, and I was out my front door so quick you would've thought that I was the Flash.

...

Okay, so I might have messed up my webcam date just a little bit, but the sooner I get this "mission" over with, the better. Or at least, that's how I reassure myself as I enter through the all too familiar arcade doors. The greasy aroma of freshly baked pizza welcomely floats from the back kitchens into my nostrils, making me feel all giddy inside.

Oh, the scent of fennel filled italian sausage, and green peppers with a perfect mixture of cheddar and mozzarella cheese was to die for. No, seriously. I would literally be willing to die for a slice right now if I had to. My favorite pizza of all time has been this pizza specifically since the day I began growing in my mother's womb. I'm positive of that.

This could only mean one thing…

My sister's bright orange-red hair flashed very suddenly from the kitchen, and the next thing I knew, Lizzie's ponytail was shoved up in my nose as she squeezed me tightly. She was obviously attempting to crush my bones as a way of showing how much she loved me. And then she said it, the words I was growing to dread every year:

"Happy Birthday, Andy!"

Ah, the true reason my sister was spending time with me today…

I sighed as my sister pulled out a bunch of different colored cardstock decorated with glitter, stickers, and markers from her apron. I couldn't help but notice the big black satin ribbons tied to the top of each one.

"I already made the invitations for your big birthday bash this weekend!"

"Rita's not here. So, I really don't feel like having a party without her." I replied, gently placing them back into my sister's apron. Her body tensed for a brief second before she pulled them out again and tucked them into my apron pocket where they nearly spilled out the top.

"Oh no you don't!" She exclaims, pointing her finger and shaking her hand ferociously at me. "I spent days making sure that the letters and the sticker balloons were perfectly aligned with each other in a way that the glitter could make a border, and it took like two or three tries per an invitation to make sure that the bows didn't get glitter and glue residue when I tied them on! So you will stop having a pity party and you will have a party with a cake and presents and everyone screaming happy twentieth birthday unless you don't want to live long enough to turn twenty-one!"

She takes a deep breath and with her green eyes glittering, she smiled. "Got it?"

I gulped.

"Got it."

My dad, who I resemble to a T with my green eyes and blonde hair, places a pizza on the table in the booth to the left of us. He shakes his head at his two arguing children, aka us. "Elizabeth, stop threatening your older brother or you can only have one slice of his pizza."

Yeah, because that was a punishment. Only _one _slice of pizza. The horror!

"Okay, daddy!" Lizzie says innocently, daintily slipping into the booth seat, and grabbing her first slice of _my_ birthday pizza.

Dad smiles at her, and tousled the top of her hair. "That's my little princess." He sits beside her and gestures for me to join them. "Now how is the birthday boy? How's medical school?"

"It's as well as it can be considering how faint I tend to get at the sight of blood." I answer, joining them at the table, pulling the entire pizza pan towards me. Maybe I could pull a Serena and devour the entire thing in one sitting. What would the method for that be anyways?

Dad pulls the pizza pan back to the middle of the table, all while laughing at my previous comment. "You sure you're in the right field, my boy?"

I picked a piece of italian sausage off of my plate and popped into my mouth. I nodded my head. "I want to save lives. I want to be the guy responsible for keeping a child's heart beating when it's about to quit. Nothing means more to me than helping the defenseless."

"Well, except Rita." Lizzie cut in, winking at me. "I bet she means more than anything to you, right?"

"Right…" I answer sheepishly. I guess even though she's always on my mind, at times when I think about my dream, I get lost in the idea of being a hero, of being a friend, of being the man who can end the torture of ailments before it's too late. I can forget about Rita for that brief moment.

"Men and their women!" Dad remarks. He laces his arms together with his eyes crossing for just a moment before he looks up at me. "Your mom used to make it impossible for me to get anything done! She was all I could think about when we were teenagers. Right out of high school I started working so then I could save up for a ring. Didn't even think about this family business until you were born, Andrew."

"We know, we know, Dad!" Lizzie and I groan together, rubbing our heads into the table and covering our ears with our arms and hands. That's the way it was for us with dad. Dad's always been like a grandpa. You know, the kind who tells those stories about how they walked 10 miles in the snow barefoot up and downhill to be at school at five in the morning? He drives us crazy sometimes. One day when Rita and I have kids, I swear I will throw them into the shark tank (Or you know, their grandpa's den.) while we visit with my mom and sister. That way, at least we're safe. That's what kids are for right?

"I know you hate hearing this story, but I'm going to tell it anyways." Dad decided, He takes a sip of soda, and after he inhales he says, "I built this business because I knew someday I wanted my little boy to take over, and carry on our family name. Of course now Lizzie is here too, and you want to be a doctor, so you'll have to share the family wealth. But you should know that this business was built out of my love for you, Andrew. To provide for you, to-"

"Ensure my future and my children's too. And now that Lizzie's here, to make sure that I can take care of her and let her run the business for both of us since it's her dream. I know, I know!"

"We're both set for life as long as there are geeky kids who love burgers and video games. Dad, we get it!" Lizzie rolled her eyes, completely exasperated. "Can we get back to the fact that Andrew still hasn't told anyone it's his birthday and refused to acknowledge it because his girlfriend is in Africa?"

"She is?" Dad asks, taken aback. "When did she go there?"

Lizzie gasps, and jumps up from her seat with her face snarled. "You never listen, Dad! I told you all about it months ago!"

"You did?"

"Oh my god! Dad, yes! Remember? It was when I was telling you all about my favorite anime shows and manga, and how I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to start wearing makeup now that I'm almost in high school, and oh! Remember I was telling you about that new shoe store that opened up at the mall, and how that clothing store I like was having a sale on leather coats, and I asked you for money, and how my friend said that she hated jackets and-"

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one at the table whose eyes glazed over as my sister continued to chatter on about every little last detail about the nail polish that went on sale two months ago and how she really didn't like that brand so she didn't buy any of those.

The doors ring to my relief, because that meant I had an excuse to actually work at work without Lizzie and dad complaining about how I abandoned them for no good reason.

Raye's shrill voice pierces through the air as she yells at Serena for not focusing on her school work upon walking through the doors.

"You're always late for our meetings because you never do your homework, and then you get put in detention by Miss Haruna! You're so thoughtless, and I don't understand why _you _are our leader."

Haha. Serena's the queen bee of that group, and it looks like Raye is jealous. If Raye is the snobby best friend who wants to take the queen's place, then that must make Amy the meek school girl who should be doing all Serena's school work. Or at least, that is if I'm understanding the typical high school cliques in those romance comedies Rita had me watching on our dates when she was here.

Yeah, that's what I'm going with. I definitely _never _watched reruns of those movies while smelling Rita's pillow with her orange and cream shampoo scent on it. No way! Only sissies do things like that. Besides, even if I did, it was on accident.

"Raye! Why are you always so mean to me? What did I do to make you hate me so much?" Serena whines in her crybaby voice before falling to her knees. Her tears stream like waterfalls out of her eyes almost quite literally, creating pools of salty water around her feet.

Lita, a brunette with her hair up in a ponytail and her trademark pink rose earrings, shook her head. "Geez guys, don't you think you could stop fighting for at least two seconds?"

"But she started it!" Raye and Serena yell pointing at each other. Then they glare at each other. "I did not!"

It was like they were twins. "Did too!"

"STOP SAYING EVERYTHING I SAY!"

Okay. It was time to interrupt their fight. I run over to them, suddenly feeling thankful for the big girly invitations my sister had made for my birthday party. I wave them down, "Hey girls!"

Lita smiles dreamily at me, with little hearts in her eyes, using Amy's shoulders (who's been quiet all this time) to hold herself up. "Hey, _Andrew_!"

Ah. I remind her of her ex-boyfriend by the way.

I pull out my invitations, and hand the girls a copy one by one. "My family is throwing me a party for my birthday at the arcade this Saturday, and I would love it if you all came."

"Is Darien coming?" Raye asks. She glances towards Serena briefly and adds, "I needed to remind him about karate class is all."

And guess who comes through the doors at just that moment?

With his green jacket and all, Darien walks through the doors, and when he sees Serena on the floor he stops. Serena jumps up, and pulls an invitation from my apron, racing towards Darien.

"HERE! It's your best friend's birthday party tomorrow, and you are going to come because that's what best friends do for each other. Right?"

Darien looks from her to me unsure of what to say or do. Awkwardly he says, "Right…"

"Great, now that that's settled...Andy, it's so great to see you again! It's been so long since I last saw my boyfriend!"

Ugh. More of this. I just don't know how much more I can take.

Amy, Lita, and Raye all look at each other with wide eyes, and I nearly cringe when I hear Amy whisper, "Did any of you know that Serena was dating Andrew?"

_Please Review. Tell me what you think will happen next! -Natasha_


	8. Chapter 8

_Thank you kera69love, Leslie wjack, Princess Selina, Kasienda, LoveInTheBattleField, trosario, Ivette Moon, and amyllia for reviewing the last chapter! To the 31 people who have favorited this story, and also to the 89 people who have followed the story. And of course to all of my readers in general. I am super excited! This story is up to 76 reviews, and I just can't believe how popular it has been. I am grateful to all of you! Unfortunately, after this chapter we only have two left. Can you believe it's almost the end? Many hugs to all! -Natasha_

**Jealous Much**

**Chapter Eight**

The morning seemed to trudge along. Or at least, that's how it felt as I spent my twentieth birthday without Rita. The day had moved slower than a snail trying to avoid salt trails that some vicious teenager poured along the sidewalks. I was falling into a deep, deep pit of despair waiting for my work day to end.

After the day at work had finally completed it's cycle, with closing and all, I was free to leave the horrid place that I had been trapped in. I could have had a perfectly beautiful day of moping and despairing in my misery of not hugging Rita on my birthday at home!

Quickly, I sprinted out into the open fresh air. Well fresh air if you disregard the pollution from factories or the hundreds of cars that drove on the street next to the arcade. I was never one for disregarding anything though. Although I had tried to all day long as I was reminded again and again that my girlfriend lives in a completely different country.

How I long to hug her, and kiss her. To simply touch her cheek would make all the ache in my heart fade away. To gaze into her eyes, to tell her to her face just how much I love her would ease the feeling in my stomach that makes me feel like vomit was going to crawl up my throat.

One way or another, I had managed to make my way to my apartment door feeling like I was going to drown in self pity the entire way. The entire trip was a blur of stop signs, crossways, and walking up stairs. Nevertheless, I had made it to my front door, and couldn't help but notice the bulky box at the bottom of it.

I pause, kneeling down briefly to pick up the large package. The box is wrapped in brown paper, topped off with a thin tweed rope. All over the package are ink stamps showing where the package had been dropped off, picked up, and sent off again. When I saw the name Africa though, I felt as if my heart had skyrocketed out of my chest, and that I was flying in the air.

I unlock my door, and let my shoes fly off in the middle of the living room during my frenzy to find a pair of scissors. After searching my entire desk for my weapon of choice, my computer starts ringing the way it always does when I get an incoming skype call from Rita.

Everything was coming together perfectly. I drop the box on my desk so then I can click accept on skype. When I sit down in front of my webcam, the frown that I wore nearly the entire day disappears and is instead replaced with a huge smile.

"Andy!" Rita greets me with a wave. She glances over my face and the fact that her package was sitting on my desk, and says. "I take it you got my package since you're looking at me like you're a serial killer giddy about his future kill. Could you tone down the obsessive freakish smiling a little bit?"

I roll my eyes and smile even wider. "Better?"

She runs her fingers through her hair, carefully making a side braid. My girlfriend shakes her head, snickering at me before saying, "Okay, so I know I didn't say happy birthday or anything, but I knew if I mentioned it, my surprise would be totally ruined. Now, open your gift before I get too excited and spill the beans!"

Although I wanted to rip the package open and pour all the contents on the floor, just knowing she wanted me to do it made me wait. A minute ticks by as my boyish grin turns to an indifferent expression. She taps her fingers on her desk and looks at me dully.

Another two minutes pass.

"Would you just open it already?!"

I dramatically sigh, and answer, "Okay. Fine. I guess if you reaaaallly want me too, I could open up this birthday package that you mailed. You're really pulling my leg though."

Rita rolls her eyes. "Just like it nearly killed you to finish my burger that one time, right?"

"Precisely!" I add, "Just remember that I am doing you a big favor here."

"Whatever. Just get on with it!"

Completely satisfied with how annoying I was being to Rita, I used my rounded scissors to cut through the thin tweed rope. I used my fingers to tear the paper on the package, and rip the tape off the box. I pull the cardboard flaps open and inside I see something green and white striped. And round…

"I'm confused." Honestly, I don't understand her gift choice one bit. "Why did you send me a personal watermelon?"

I try to hide my disappointment while she explains, "Well, there wasn't much to buy out here that reflected what a beautiful country this is, but we do have plenty of fruit trees and plants!"

"Oh." I couldn't hide my disappointment any longer. I mean, she couldn't have sent me a tribal necklace or something? That would have been more interesting than something I could already buy here. Besides, how did it even stay in tact during shipping? "You know I hate watermelon though."

Rita giggled. "Yes, but remember how for my last birthday you gave me Brussel sprouts?"

"That was just a gag gift! Your real gift was the diamond bracelet!"

"Exactly. Pick up the watermelon, silly!" Rita winks at me. "By the way, I won't be able to talk on skype tomorrow, I've got a lot planned and won't have the time..."

I pick up the watermelon and look inside the box. There was nothing there. When I adjust my grip on the forsaken fruit, I feel a piece of paper. I turn the melon around, and read the printed page.

They were flight times.

"Is this your itinerary?" I ask bewildered. "You're coming home?"

"I'll be in tomorrow! But only for the weekend. Lizzie called me and helped plan the whole thing. She and your mom chipped in to help me pay for tickets for your party!"

"This is so exciting! Oh, Rita! This is the best gift I could have ever…" The color drained out of my face almost instantly.

Rita obviously noticed the abrupt change in moods for she cocked her head to the side and glanced at me with tight and worried eyes. "Problem?"

"It's just...Serena and Darien are going to be at my party." To say I was a little concerned about Rita being in the same room as the two loved crazed psychos who were ultimately channeling all their feelings through me, was an understatement. How I was supposed to resolve that issue, I don't know. Now with Rita coming, it was really going to get complicated.

What if 'Operation: Make Darien Jealous' doesn't go well? What if it fails with her presence? But oh god, why can't I just have things my way for a change? Why do Serena and Darien's lives have to become the center of mine?

"You don't want me there, do you?" The tremble in Rita's voice was subtle. I almost didn't hear it. "Are you so concerned about them that you would pass up your only opportunity to see me for the next six months?"

"Don't ever think that again!" I yell, enraged with myself for having a single second of hesitation. With a clenched fist, I say, "I will get this all sorted out by tomorrow. There's nothing more I want than to see you at the party. You have no idea how much I miss just holding your hand, let alone hugging you and smelling your hair."

Rita's cheeks turn a deep red like Snow White's lips. If I could just stroke them, look into her eyes, and run my hands through her hair…

"Rita, promise me I'll see you tomorrow?" I plead.

"I have to go now then." She clicks off skype without another word.

I sit for a moment. I had to figure out quickly what I was going to do in order to get Serena and Darien together. After all, Rita would be here tomorrow. Maybe I should just tell Darien everything. Sure, Serena wouldn't be happy, but I can't just keep sacrificing my happiness because she's too scared to tell Darien she loves him, right?

Right.

Or…

I've got it!

...

I scanned my watch for the thirteenth time in the last five minutes. What was taking so long? I had enough time to count all the cracks in the cement on the sidewalk, notice the little details on the building sign, and hum the Sailor V Arcade game theme song.

Seriously, what was taking so long?

I pace back and forth. I'm barely able to contain myself as I bring myself to the brink of a nervous breakdown. Was I crazy? Was my plan even going to work? Would everything all come crashing down tomorrow? I felt like a wrecking ball would come at any moment and tear down a hypothetical building we'll call my plan into tiny pieces to the ground.

Seriously, where is he?!

"Andrew," says Darien as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his ugly pea green jacket. "What was so urgent that you had to talk to me this very minute?"

"Finally!" I proclaim, maybe a bit too loudly and with a boy's voice that sounded like I was in the middle of puberty. I felt like I had a cat clawing up my voice box or maybe something more obnoxious than that. Like a tiger. Or, well, something. "I need your help."

"Andrew, are you okay?" Darien asks, reaching his hand to my forehead. "I mean you don't feel sick, but you sound kind of like Serena's friend Molly. It just doesn't sound right on you, man."

I'm so nervous I can't concentrate. My hands feel numb and my heart is racing a million miles a minute. I can't hold back anymore.

"Darien, this is going to sound crazy, but I've just got to come out and say it."

"Go on." Thank god he was being a good friend instead of the jerk Serena always described him to be before she admitted her feelings for him.

"I know it's really soon, and we haven't been dating very long, but I want to propose at my birthday party tomorrow!" I take a deep breath. It felt so good to get it off my chest.

Darien turns three shades whiter than usual, and he stops breathing. His eyes turn wide with horror. "No…" He whispers to himself, but of course I heard him.

Okay, so maybe this wasn't the best way to enforce Operation: MDJ to move forward. However, I can't think of any other way to speed along this process.

"I was hoping that since you're my best friend, you would be my best man?" I ask, hopeful he would say yes.

He stares back at me, his emotions washed off his face. Darien looked absolutely pathetic trying to hide his feelings. I could imagine how hurt he was. "Don't you think she's too young to make this kind of commitment? I mean, do you think she's old enough to understand what it even means?"

Was Rita too young to make this commitment and understand it? "Absolutely not! I don't think you give her enough credit. She can handle this, Dar."

Darien grumbles under his breath. He jerks his head up, and almost as if out of obligation and nothing else, he says, "Then fine. I'll be your best man, but I still don't think it's a good idea."

"I don't care as long as you are there for me."

"Don't be stupid." Darien says irritably, "I'll be here for you no matter what. That's what friends do, right?"

_Please Review!_


	9. Chapter 9

_Thank you Princess Selina, Leslie wjack, Ivette Moon, boston, TropicalRemix, Trosario, LoveInTheBattleField, Kasienda, SailorMoon489, AimiTsukinoChiba, TaxPrincess, brianajs, dirgurl, Nich31, and asdfghjklalala for reviewing Chapter 8! I was just so happy with the feedback that I got in addition to really just being excited to write Chapter Nine that I decided to update tonight instead of waiting til next week. May as well take advantage of days off, right? Well, Any who, please enjoy! -Natasha_

**Chapter Nine**

When you are getting ready to propose to the love of your life, all you can focus on is the fact that you are nervous and scared. Sure, there are those pompous jerks who believe they will get a yes because they are so amazing and all that. They don't even break a sweat. I don't have that kind of confidence though. All I have is the credit card in my wallet that I'm going to use to pay for the perfect ring. I just hope that my lungs don't collapse from my lack of breathing right in the middle of the jewelry store.

With my nerves all haywire, it was getting easier and easier to ignore Darien's resentful comments about my choice to propose in the first place. I think I got over Darien saying, "She's just too young!" after the third time he said it. Then there was the rerun of, "She won't understand the commitment she'd be agreeing to, you're taking advantage of the poor girl."

I'll admit for that last one I had to hold back strangling my friend from being too moronic to see the truth. The truth being that no one would propose to a school girl in a serious fashion at Serena's age. That should be his first clue, but I digress.

I cannot recall how many rings I have looked at so far. There were so many behind the locked glass with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls. There were princess cuts, pear cuts, cushion cuts, and your basic round cuts let alone the many more Molly's mother had mentioned. All I can think about is what Rita would want, and why, oh why can I taste my own sweat?

Okay, calm down.

Focus!

I know I can do this.

"Andrew, I can help you find a ring she would like." Darien offers, pointing towards the heart cut rings with pink sapphires in the middle. "This is so her."

I shake my head fiercely. "It would never do, Dar. I don't think she would accept those."

Darien looks taken aback, surprised by my response to his choice. He directs his attention to a ring with a large freshwater pearl surrounded by navy blue rhinestones. "Well, this is something else I know she would love."

I shake my head no once again.

'It's not for Serena!' I wanted to scream so badly, but even under all this pressure to choose a ring quickly, I just couldn't do it. I guess I didn't have the nerve. Or maybe I just care too much about him getting upset to stick up for myself.

A glimmer of gold stands out to me when I walk towards the front desk to ask for help from someone who could actually help me. I stop, and practically drool at the ring sitting in a pretty ring holder with several dozens of other rings. An oval cut tanzanite gem glittered so many different shades of blue, surrounded by round and rectangular diamonds. It was perfect. It was _the _ring, and I had to buy it now.

"Excuse me, this is the one I want!" I called to Ms. Baker, pleased to have finally made my choice.

Darien walks up behind me to see which ring I had picked. I hear as he tsks at the ring. I roll my eyes knowing he can't see me doing it. "You obviously haven't been dating Serena long enough to ask to marry her. You found something Rita would have preferred."

I whip around, and with a fake grin, I respond. "You seem to know so much about what Serena likes and what she doesn't. Maybe you should be the one proposing to her."

Darien chokes, obviously unsure of how to react. Instead he just stands there.

"Right, you're not proposing are you? So, could you keep your unsolicited advice to yourself, please?"

Perhaps I was drawing too much enjoyment from Darien's stunned silence. Or maybe not. It was the first time he hadn't found a way to criticize me this entire time. All I know is that his mouth still gaping open was enough to relax me, even if only temporarily.

…

My mom stood at the arcade doors letting guests into the arcade. Mom and Lizzie had set up free food for everyone, unlimited game time, and really just went all out for my friends and I. I wish I could say that I appreciated it more than I do.

"Just another hour," I mumbled to Darien, who stood beside me, still steaming with a glare stuck on his face. I showed him my hands, which were shaking uncontrollably. "I'm going to propose right before cake and ice cream. Darien, I'm so nervous."

Darien rolls his eyes, obviously still angry from my outburst earlier in the jewelry store. After he stared at me with his mouth open like he was waiting to catch a fly, he had clamped it shut, and muttered nonsense about how he didn't care that I was proposing to Serena.

Funnily enough, I don't recall ever saying I was going to propose to Serena specifically. This guy wanted to be a doctor? Remind me never to let him perform surgery on me...geez.

Darien stayed leaned against a pillar, crossing his arms, looking like he was a pot of boiling water about to steam over. He paused, with his eyes tense and narrow. "It'll be fine. She's always had feelings for you hasn't she?"

Ah, the green eyed monster. Darien wasn't handling this well. But I guess he was right about Rita. "I know, I know. It's like ever since we met, we've just clicked, but I'm still scared that she'll say no."

"It'll be fine." Darien says through gritted teeth.

There was some part of me really enjoying seeing Darien care so much about someone, but when was he going to do something about it? He needs to do something soon, Rita would be here in about forty five minutes.

Oh my god… forty five minutes left? The time was flying by so fast. I feel like I am going to pass out or vomit or worse!

"Darien, I'm so freaked out, I can't stop shaking." It was true. Sweat was forming on my palms. I was so jittery.

Darien sighs.

"Can't you just be supportive? You don't even like her!" Well at least I'm being completely honest, right? He doesn't like Rita at all, or at least, I hope not.

"It. Will. Be. Fine."

"Wow! Lita, doesn't he look just like your ex-boyfriend?" Serena gasped, pointing at one of my college buddies, Erik, from across the room. Erik was pretty attractive I guess. Silvery hair flowed atop his head, and his eyes were a pale sterling silver with tiny shimmers of sky blue. Erik always dressed so nice. For example, today he was wearing a deep velvet red sweater over a white long sleeved collar top. Not to mention his black tie and tan slacks.

Lita stops, and she gazes over at Erik with her friends. Amy and Raye practically drool at the sight of him, totally shell shocked by his amazingly good looks. Serena looks to Lita, patiently waiting for her tall friend's response.

"Nope!" Lita announces, unphased by Erik. Completely uninterested. She strolls off to get some pepperoni pizza, and leaves the rest of the girls behind. Amy and Raye practically have to scoop their jelly legs off the floor.

"Well, I think he does!" Exclaims Raye, happy to follow behind Lita to get some pizza and diet coke.

The scene may have calmed down my nerves a little, but I look at my watch again. Twenty five minutes.

Twenty four minutes.

I grab Darien by the shoulders in a panic. "Darien, I think I'm going to faint. I'm too scared to ask. I don't know what she's going to say!"

Darien snapped. In a fit of rage he snarls his teeth at me, and pushes me away from him. Then he yells, "Well maybe you shouldn't marry her then!"

Although there was music blasting in the arcade, after Darien decided to push me, the birthday boy, and scream, the room went dead silent. Everyone was staring, including Serena.

If grasshoppers could chirp in the middle of this awkward silence they would. But Darien didn't care. He finally had Serena's attention at this party. She had finally arrived. He turns to her, and then he proceeds to let all his real thoughts out like word vomit.

"Serena!" He runs over to her, and pulls her hand into his. "Serena, Andrew is going to do something completely stupid and ask you to marry him, but I don't think you should marry him."

Serena's eyes widen, and she places her free hand over her mouth. Raye and the girls look at him completely bug eyed. It's still silent, except for Darien. Everyone is paying attention to him as he slowly but surely makes an ass out of himself.

"I think if you are going to marry anyone, it should be me. I KNOW! I know we fight all the time, and I'm mean to you and call you names, but I don't care! It's only because we're in kindergarten you know? And besides, Andrew doesn't even know what kind of engagement rings you'd like, and I DO! I know you love pearls and rhinestones, and HE DOESN'T!"

He takes a small breath, and I'm so close to bursting out in laughter. Making sense has clearly flown out the window for him. I keep my huge smile contained, and wait for Darien to finish.

"I know you don't know how to use napkins, but I don't care because for some crazy reason I love you anyways. Besides, him asking you to marry him when you are only fourteen is like him being a loan shark asking you to take a loan you can't pay! Or you know, giving you a prescription that you can't fill or asking a toddler not to eat a cookie. It's not going to work, and if you say yes you are crazy! I didn't tell him this was okay. I think this is a bad idea because I love you, and I KNOW you should be with me!"

"Those are my thoughts exactly." The most beautiful voice in the world chuckled from the entry way next to my mother. Rita. She was here! She stood so lovely in a butterfly summer dress and white high heels.

Darien puts his hand up towards Rita, and hushes her. "Not now Rita, I'm in the middle of something here."

He gasps very suddenly, and turns to look at her. "Wait, what are you doing here?"

Rita smirks at him, and happily walks up to me. After what felt like years, I was given the chance to hug her again. To touch her, to taste her lips. And I would do all of that, after I asked her one question.

"I would never miss my boyfriend's birthday party, Darien."

"Wha-? But Rita, Serena...Andrew...wait… I…" Darien stumbles along, unable to complete his sentences any longer.

I interrupt him. "Darien, please...just shut up!"

My hands start shaking, holding Rita's shoulders, and I let go to get down on my knee. Please don't vomit. Please, don't vomit I keep telling myself.

"Rita, Darien stole the crazy romantic speech making right out of me, and honestly I can barely breathe just seeing you now. I just want you to know that I love you, and I always will."

I open the ring box in front of her. I can barely recall how I had removed it from my jeans pocket or when, but I do know that my forehead was perspiring. "Rita, please, will you marry me?"

_Please Review! -Natasha_


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you Trosario, Leslie wjack, Princess Selina, boston, Ivette Moon, James Birdsong, Kasienda, SailorMoon489, Tropical Remix, TaxPrincess, kera69love, LoveInTheBattleField, Artemis630, BrianaJS, Ghetsis is best dad, Nich31, amyllia, , Loca8892, Yonten, and kbtjmandy for reviewing chapter nine of this story. I cannot believe how far this story has come and all the wonderful feedback I have received from my amazing readers! I cannot believe how this story has reached 118 reviews and it isn't even finished yet! Thank you so much, everyone, for sticking with me to the end and being so amazing through it all! Anywho, enough with the sappiness, and let's continue with the story! -Natasha_

**Chapter 10**

I should be happy to have taken this step, but when twenty seconds pass and Rita still hasn't given me an answer, I can't help but feel horrified. I can't help but curse myself for doing this in front of everyone I know and love. If she says no, I'll have embarrassed myself in front of everyone I know, and on _my_ birthday!

Forty seconds…

Oh god, this must be what having a stroke must feel like!

When Rita finally opens her round, playful lips to give me the answer I've been waiting for, my chest is beating what feels like over nine thousand beats a minute.

"Oh, I don't know…"

The room is closing in. The air is getting tight, and my entire upper body is going numb. Yep, I'm definitely having a stroke right now!

Rita asks, "Are you going to let any other teenage girls kiss you?"

She grins jokingly at me, her eyes laughing at me as she knowingly drives me insane. She loves this, doesn't she? Playing mind games with me, and constantly keeping me on my toes. Rita was so wicked sometimes.

"Of course not!" I squeak out like a humbled chipmunk.

"Aww, man!" Lita whines from the middle of the guests crowded around Serena, Darien, Rita, and I. She scrunches her face up, her face hot and flustered with embarrassment. "I mean, that's so sweet…?"

'Yeah, nice save, Lita.' I think to myself, using my index finger to loosen the collar of my shirt from choking my neck.

Rita rolls her eyes at the school girl who obviously crushes way too hard on me, and decides. "Yes, you idiot! Of course I'll marry you!"

My insides burst into jelly and I am so overwhelmingly happy that it's amazing I wasn't floating in the air from feeling so light and numb. I slip the tanzanite ring on her finger, and pull her so she falls into my arms and lap. I kiss her all over her face. Her lips again and again, then her cheeks, and her forehead. It's only after I see the salty drops of water on her chin and forehead that I realized I'd been tearing up the entire time.

Who knew that being so happy could make you cry? I guess I've never been happy enough to know that before, until now.

Mom and dad start clapping and whistling for us. Soon, Lizzie and the girls are clapping along too. Everyone joins in, and begin yelling and screaming, "Congratulations!" to us over the cheers.

In fact, there was only one person at the entire party who didn't get the memo he should be celebrating, and that mime of a person just happens to be my best man, Darien.

"What the hell just happened?" Darien asks himself, looking from left to right, and then to us, the happy couple. He looks confused, like a lost puppy left in the road on a stormy day. The puppy looked like he needed guidance, shelter, or some kind of help, but he just didn't know where to look. He was defeated, even if only temporarily.

Serena manages to sift through the crowd, and even though her hair was stepped on and she wailed several times, she still looked like today was the best day of her life.

The childish young lady taps me on the shoulder and says, "Um...Andrew, I know this probably isn't the best time, but can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, Serena." I answer, using her small hand to help lift myself and my beloved up.

Serena makes a sideways glance at Darien and whispers, "In private?"

"Oh no you don't! I'm coming too! Someone needs to start explaining things here!" Darien butts into our conversation, making it known that wherever Serena goes, he will follow.

"Well, this ought to be interesting, there's no way I'm missing this!" Rita decides to join in with a little jingling laugh at the end of her comment.

I sigh with exasperation, and have to hold back the sarcastic question of whether or not anyone else would like to join in. After all, that's the last thing we needed; more people joining in on this mess.

When the family and friends who are not involved whatsoever in Operation: Make Darien Jealous go back to karaoke, video games, and mingling, I lead the small, but slightly annoying group to the back room.

The very second that I click the door shut behind us, Darien demands with an air of resentment to know what's going on. "Someone better tell me what's going on this second! What happened out there was totally unacceptable!"

"Which part?" Rita asks, patting his head oh not so subtly, "The part where Andrew and I got engaged, or the part where you made yourself look like a blubbering idiot in front of everyone?"

Serena laughs aloud, but then covers her mouth with her hands, and whispers, "Sorry!"

"You know which part, Rita!" Darien gripes at her, still embarrassed about pouring his heart out in front of probably every medical professional we had met so far in college and while volunteering at hospitals. I really hope this doesn't ruin his reputation in the medical field _too _badly.

But while messing with Darien's head had been so amazingly fun, it was time to stop doing so. After all, if we didn't let him completely in on everything that happened, then how would Rita and I move on, let alone Serena and Darien?

Well, someone's gotta start telling him the truth, and if Serena won't start, then it may as well be me. "Serena wanted to make you jealous, and she twisted me into this plan to make it work."

Serena interrupts, clearly wanting to prove she wasn't a total jerk. "It was mostly that I was freaked out at first, and I didn't think you would notice me unless I was dating your best friend. Then, when you walked me home you kept talking about how you were the only guy I could trust who always has my best interests in mind. That was when I thought maybe the plan could work."

Darien shakes his head no, completely insistent that the reality we had created for him was true. "Wait a minute, Rita and Andrew really did break up! That was real!"

Rita cuts in now, because obviously she knew better on this topic than Darien. "Actually, we did, except for the fact that we didn't."

Darien glares at her.

"Darien, I was playing along, just for your sake really." Rita adds on, clutching my hand with hers, and rubbing her head against my shoulder for emphasis.

Darien shakes his head at her, looking like his brain was going to explode from frustration. In a stern but calm tone that he rose higher and higher with each sentence he spoke, he said, "You had me on the phone for three hours while you ate chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. You cried for hours about how Andrew left you for a fourteen year old girl and you thought you were too ugly or too fat or not smart enough for a wannabe doctor like him! You made me listen to you as you called Serena a skank and complained about how she purposely wears skirts that are too short to attract older men for like half an hour!"

Serena and I cock our heads and stare at Rita with shock and amazement on our faces. Wannabe doctor? Where does she get off saying that even in a world where we did break up? I'm not a wannabe doctor! I know I'm not because I will be one, and I know I can do it. That doesn't make me a wannabe doctor, does it?

"I do not!" Serena wails. Rita, Darien, and I all shrink our heads back in response to her hideously annoying crying. "Why would you even say something like that?"

Rita shrugs indifferently. "It had to be convincing, I guess I just got a little too carried away…"

I roll my eyes at her. She sure could be a drama queen. Apparently my wife-to-be is a better fake crier than Serena. Now I know what to watch out for. I will not cave if she comes crying for a Louis Vuitton purse or some kind of nonsense like that. Well, not _every_ time at least...

When I focus my attention back on Serena and Darien, they are practically pretending the other person doesn't exist as they rub their own arms and space off at the walls. I mean they might as well be whistling like they are from Toy Story pretending that they aren't about to do some crazy plan or something of that nature.

"Anyways," I pick up the conversation, refusing to allow all this to be for not. "The point is, we got you to admit how you really felt."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts! We got you in front of everyone, just admit it!"

Darien shakes his head. "No…"

"For the love of God, Darien! Why are you complaining?" Rita takes note of how Serena and Darien slowly kept inching apart out of the pure awkwardness of the situation. "Also, why aren't you two holding hands or something?

My beautiful fiancée smashes the duo's bodies together with a satisfied smile on her face. Serena looks up at Darien sheepishly, and after a second of hesitation, but with Rita's forceful guidance, she holds his hand.

"Fine!" Darien pouts, smiling for a brief second at Serena's initiation. "But I know I will never hear the end of this."

Serena looks at me smugly. Yep, if we had telepathy I'm pretty sure she would be telling me, 'I told you this would work!' But thankfully we don't have that, and wait a minute? Don't I have presents to open?

"Okay, I've got presents to open and cake to eat. Now unless someone objects-"

Serena interrupts me yelling, "CAKE!" and she drags Darien behind her as she bolts out the backroom door and rushes into the crowd with all the excitement of a two year old getting a lollipop.

Rita looks at me, and I look at her. We stare at each other for a moment, both trying to hold back a grin. Instead we burst into laughter.

The door bangs open again, and Serena's tiny little body pops in. She races up to me, and pulls me down so I can hear her. "Thank you, Andrew! If it wasn't for you, I could've never done this on my own."

I doubt that. Eventually they would have gotten together right? Like, she might have tripped on him and they would make out on the sidewalk or something like that? Anything would've been possible.

Serena pecks me right on the cheek in front of Rita, who looks like she's turning into a huge red balloon in need of deflation. Serena turns and runs back out to her now newly appointed boyfriend, leaving me with my very infuriated fiancee.

"Hmm...Jealous much, Rita?" I ask, hoping to make her calm down with a reference from Operation: MDJ. I hold her in my arms, brushing her hair out of her eyes with my fingertips. When I lean down to press my forehead against hers, her face turns back to it's beautiful peach like skin tone.

She punches me playfully in the shoulder, and leaves my warmth. Before she walks out the door Rita turns and says, "Never!"

As I follow Rita out the door and see all my family sing the Happy Birthday song to me, I can't help but realize how strange life can be, and how you never know what it will bring to you.

Well, at least there's one thing that I know, and that's as long as Darien and Serena stay together, there will be never ending craziness for Rita and I to watch together. And you know what?

I think I'm okay with that.

_It's over. :'( Anywho, please review and let me know what you thought! And also, I keep debating in my head on what to focus my writing on. I have Fragmented and The Moon Princess. I can only write one chapter a week with such a heavy work schedule. So, when you review this story, please let me know which you would prefer that I focus on. I keep going back and forth, so your opinions matter! -Natasha_


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